Immersive Virtual Reality for Pediatric Procedural Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pain Management
• Virtual Reality Interventions
• Medical Procedure Distraction Techniques

Background:

• Inadequate pain management is common in hospitalized children, particularly during needle procedures.
• Virtual reality (VR) offers a promising, engaging method to reduce pediatric procedural anxiety and pain.
• This study investigated VR's efficacy in improving patient satisfaction and pain reduction during venous cannulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate patient satisfaction and pain reduction using a 3D VR interactive game during needle procedures in children.
• To compare VR distraction with standard care for managing procedural pain in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

• A randomized clinical trial involving 64 children (aged 7-16) undergoing venous cannulation.
• The study group used VR interactive games alongside standard care (numbing cream, positioning, nurse distraction).
• The control group received only standard care. Outcomes included patient satisfaction, pain scores (visual analog scale), procedural time, and adverse events.

Main Results:

• High patient satisfaction was reported in the VR group, with 100% preferring VR for future procedures.
• No significant differences in pain scores or procedural times were observed between the VR and control groups.
• Adverse events were minimal and comparable between both groups.

Conclusions:

• Virtual reality (VR) use as a multimodal approach significantly enhanced patient satisfaction for procedural pain management in children.
• VR did not alter pain scores but improved the overall patient experience compared to standard care alone.